The Philadelphia Phillies are finally a competitive team for the first time in a decade. Sitting a game and a half back of the Atlanta Braves in the NL East and in the second wildcard spot, the Philadelphia Phillies will be looking to make moves at the trade deadline to increase their chances of punching a ticket to the postseason. If the Phillies are looking to strengthen their lineup, then they should negotiate to bring future Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre to the team. Let’s take a closer look as to how Beltre would make an impact on a Phillies team vying for a playoff spot.
Adrian Beltre’s Career Boasts Success
The obvious need for the Phillies is to strengthen their hitting. Currently, they sit in the National League 10th in runs scored (365), 13th in team batting average (.233) and 11th in slugging percentage (.394). They are second last in the NL in team hits, generating 649 in 84 games played.
Adrian Beltre is one of the best players in this generation of Major League Baseball. At 21 years and counting, Beltre has played for four teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and most recently, the Texas Rangers.
On all four of these stops, the star player has made an immediate impact, both hitting and on the field as a third baseman. He has a career batting average of .287, hitting .340/.481/.821 (OPS+ 117) over that 21-year span.
Not only is he an asset hitting the ball but also on defense. He is a five-time Gold Glove winner and he can cover the hot corner effectively, demonstrated by his 2182 putouts and 5125 assists over his career.
The Texas Rangers are dead last in the A.L. West, looking to sell their current assets for prospects to start a full-on rebuild. With pitcher Cole Hamels on the trading block, don’t be surprised they try to move Beltre, whose contract is expiring at the end of this season. He has a batting average of .309, with four HRs and 26 RBIs, hitting .302/.357/.428 with a 109 OPS+, making him an attractable asset to acquire for teams like the Philadelphia Phillies.
Adrian Beltre Third Baseman Phillies Need
The Phillies have the worst offensive production at third base in all of baseball. They are dead last with a negative 0.3 WAR, largely a result of poor hitting by Maikel Franco. Franco is hitting .240/.284/.409 with an OPS+ of 87 and has been weak defensively at third base this season.
In addition, the Phillies have been averaging 3.69 runs per game over the last month, clearly outlining a need for bolstering their bats.
At 39 years old, this is Adrian’s golden opportunity to play a meaningful role on a young contending team.
“The Phillies also have interest in Beltre, sources say, as much for his professionalism as his production,” Jon Morosi of MLB wrote. “The Phils have the youngest group of position players in the Majors, and team officials see long-term value in Beltre’s influence on an emerging core.”
The only concern surrounding the third baseman is his increased probability of getting injured. He has been on the DL four times over the last two seasons.
But for Phillies GM Matt Klentak, the benefits of acquiring the superstar for his high baseball IQ on offense and defense outweighs the cost of his struggles with injuries.
The trade deadline is the time for teams to jockey into position to get to the postseason. If the Phillies can trade for a third baseman like Beltre, they will become instant contenders in the National League, as they try to earn a postseason spot for the first time since 2011 and win the World Series for the first time since 2008.
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